Here are just a collection of tips and information that I preach and teach to our QK Clients.
Did you know that for every 3 pounds of excess weight that your dog carries is equivalent to 30 pounds on a human!!?? You should take your dog’s weight seriously. You should be able to feel ribs on your dogs and they should have a waist line. By maintaining a healthy weight, you are not only helping to avoid injuries, you are helping to prolong your beloved dog’s life. Please don’t kill them with kindness through treats and food! Exercise them and keep them trim to show us you REALLY love them!
Do your dog’s nails touch the ground? Can you hear clicking when they walk? This is just unfair and so bad for your dog’s toes, wrists, elbow and overall conformation. When your dog’s nails contact the ground before their actual foot does, it changes the entire angulation of their wrist and legs which then can lead to neck and spinal issues. Not only that, their toes are forced to splay about which causes irreparable damage, arthritis and pain. Let us help! Bring your dogs in and let us show you how to clip or dremel them! If you are a new client and wish to have us help, we will GIVE you this $20 service no charge (first time) just to help your dog and show you how easy it is. Many dogs need their nails clipped monthly to maintain a healthy foot.
Many of our boarding dogs arrive with a plethora of supplements. We experience clients giving their dogs sugary, gummy children’s vitamins, human oils with flavors harmful to dogs, fattening cookies and treats, glucosamine human pills, baby aspirin, and other ‘stuff’ that just amazes me! Want to know a secret!? I am a fan of supplements….BUT they need to be safe for dogs, easily digestible and easily absorbed for dogs. Over 10 years ago I developed a special supplement with a renowned supplement company to market our own product, QK Daily Support Plus which encompasses an entire freshly ground mixture starting with pro and prebiotics for a healthy gut and immune system, vitamins and minerals for overall health, omegas for a healthy coat and skin, and lastly glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and Vitamin C for joints, tissues and bones. This unique blend is custom made for us and cost merely $1.30 a day for a 60 pound dog. It can be shipped freight free right to your door! Why mess around with unsafe products when this proven product can provide your dog with a mixture that will produce a shiny healthy coat, boost their immune system and maintain healthy joints. Order online qkdogs.com/store/
Love your dog? Of course you do! Then take a moment to look at their back molars. Are they coated in tarter? Most likely, YES! This tarter build up leads to our dog’s untimely death. Tarter harbors bacteria which goes under their gum line and right into the bloodstream affecting their organs. What can you do to help? Dental Care of course! Your vet can start with a dental cleaning to remove this terrible plaque build-up. Want to help? Chews such a raw marrow bones, cow hooves, antlers and whimsies (which we sell at QK) as well as other chew toys can drive your dogs to aggressively chew and remove this dangerous tarter themselves. Brushing alone really does not help. You can ever consider buying a dental scaler and removing the existing tarter IF your dogs will allow and then have them work on dental chews to maintain clean, healthy teeth.
Fashion statement or useful, rugged, information collar? Many clients either like their dog collarless, or they use a nylon webbed collar that is adjustable with a plastic clip. Even if your dog is micro chipped accidents or run offs happen and if your dog is just found by a stranger, an easy to read ID collar can be the most successful item to help with your dog’s safe return. Here is my whole hearted advice…. ALWAYS keep a collar on your dog! Even if your dog is micro chipped, that can only be read by a vet, shelter, or individual who has a chip reader. That will not help in an emergency! ALL of my dogs wear 1 style of collar, a buckled collar made out of plastic coated nylon (biothane). This material will not retain moisture or harbor bacteria. The buckle ensures a safe enclosure whereas those adjustable nylon collars with plastic buckles can break! Additionally, my collars all have pop riveted brass name plates embedded into them… NO dangly aluminum ID tags affixed by S hooks that can wear away and break off.
Lastly, my ID collars do NOT announce my dog’s name. Why the heck do I need to announce my dog’s name? This only gives bad people a name to call your dog that they may have stolen! My ID collars say: REWARD or NEEDS MEDICATION, my name, 2 phones and address. Where can you get these collars? Call us at 860 546 2116 to order! For less than $12 (plus shipping to you) we can help to customize a collar in a variety of collars, reflective material and styles serving as a fashion statement AND important tool to help in your dog’s safe return.
Plastic coated nylon biothane
Biothane with reflective stripe
Leather feel collars